With fat slick tyres and a diffuser of epic proportions, the rear end of this 3-series is fantastically aggressive!
(CarThrottle.com)
Showing posts with label 3 series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3 series. Show all posts
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Dat' Arse
You Could Get Lost In This Cosworth-Engined BMW E36's Diffuser
With fat slick tyres and a diffuser of epic proportions, the rear end of this 3-series is fantastically aggressive!
(CarThrottle.com)
With fat slick tyres and a diffuser of epic proportions, the rear end of this 3-series is fantastically aggressive!
(CarThrottle.com)
Monday, August 13, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Friday, May 25, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Monday, April 3, 2017
Friday, December 9, 2016
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
These Are Worthy Project Cars
Our Picks For The Best $10,000 Used Cars
2005 BMW 325i – Greg Migliore
A decade-old 3 Series hits on a number of levels. It still looks reasonably cool. Friends will notice and nod approvingly at your choice of a Bimmer, while enthusiasts will appreciate your good taste in suspensions and steering. It’s like drinking a Heineken. It’s seldom out of place and conjures class and appeal with a lot of different crowds.
There’s plenty to like in the 325i: rear-wheel drive, an inline six hooked up to a five-speed manual and an interior that’s simple and clean. The outside has a similar vibe. Yes, this is obviously not the latest 3 Series, but it still looks smart and stylish. The car is just old enough that it hearkens back to a time before seemingly every luxury car was dripping in LEDs, fantastic curves and eye-popping nav screens. If you look hard, it’s not difficult to get one well under $10,000.
1999 Mercedes C43 AMG – Dan Roth
It’s a lot easier to find something interesting at $5,000 than it is for $10,000. It’s probably because $10K is pretty serious used car money. You can get a respectably boring vehicle all day long for 10 grand. Or a box truck.
Because we’re talking about real money, I felt obligated to be marginally responsible. I puzzled for a while, trying to come up with something that seems responsible, even conservative, but really isn’t.
How about a Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG? When Mercedes had the chutzpah to introduce this car in the late 1990s, I was impressed. Take the C-Class sedan, stuff in a V8 from the S-Class; it’s a Krautrock take on good old rock n’ roll.
These are pretty rare, so you’ll need to work hard to find one, and it’s not like anyone won’t know that it’s something special, so be prepared to spend all the money. Also be prepared for expensive upkeep. Who cares, though? Toe into that V8 and hilarity will have the propensity to ensue.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
2005 BMW 325i – Greg Migliore
A decade-old 3 Series hits on a number of levels. It still looks reasonably cool. Friends will notice and nod approvingly at your choice of a Bimmer, while enthusiasts will appreciate your good taste in suspensions and steering. It’s like drinking a Heineken. It’s seldom out of place and conjures class and appeal with a lot of different crowds.
There’s plenty to like in the 325i: rear-wheel drive, an inline six hooked up to a five-speed manual and an interior that’s simple and clean. The outside has a similar vibe. Yes, this is obviously not the latest 3 Series, but it still looks smart and stylish. The car is just old enough that it hearkens back to a time before seemingly every luxury car was dripping in LEDs, fantastic curves and eye-popping nav screens. If you look hard, it’s not difficult to get one well under $10,000.
1999 Mercedes C43 AMG – Dan Roth
It’s a lot easier to find something interesting at $5,000 than it is for $10,000. It’s probably because $10K is pretty serious used car money. You can get a respectably boring vehicle all day long for 10 grand. Or a box truck.
Because we’re talking about real money, I felt obligated to be marginally responsible. I puzzled for a while, trying to come up with something that seems responsible, even conservative, but really isn’t.
How about a Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG? When Mercedes had the chutzpah to introduce this car in the late 1990s, I was impressed. Take the C-Class sedan, stuff in a V8 from the S-Class; it’s a Krautrock take on good old rock n’ roll.
These are pretty rare, so you’ll need to work hard to find one, and it’s not like anyone won’t know that it’s something special, so be prepared to spend all the money. Also be prepared for expensive upkeep. Who cares, though? Toe into that V8 and hilarity will have the propensity to ensue.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
Monday, May 9, 2016
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
These Are Worthy Project Cars
The Cheapest Legendary Performance Cars You Can Buy Today
We're often asked the question: 'how can I get a cheap performance car with iconic heritage'? The answer is not a straightforward one, so here are the cheapest ways to secure yourself a quick car from a legendary brand
BMW: E36 M3
The oft-overlooked BMW E36 M3, hit the bottom of its depreciation curve a few years ago, and although prices have risen by around 50 per cent, it’s still the a great entry point into M car ownership. You can find high-mileage examples for under £6000, but we would recommend spending a couple thousand more to find a clean example; you don’t want to end up buying a lemon like Alex…
The 3.2-litre S50B32 straight-six engine fitted to post-September 1995 M3 coupes is, as Alex describes it, “a heartless destroyer of speed limits”. With an impressive (for the time) 316bhp, the E36 is good for a 0-60mph time of around 5.4 seconds, and will go on to a top speed of 170mph (sans limiter). With clean examples hitting the £10,000+ point, now is the time to buy!
Alternatively, around £8500 also puts you in E46 M3 territory, so that’s a car well worth considering too.
Audi: RS6 C5
Somewhat surprisingly, the iconic Audi RS6 C5 is now one of the cheapest ways into RS ownership. With a 4.2-litre, 450bhp, twin-turbocharged V8, the RS6 absolutely decimated the competition when it was released back in 2002, with the Avant claiming the title of ‘world’s fastest estate car’.
With a 0-60mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 155mph (over 180mph delimited) the RS6 sported serious supercar-rivalling performance. So what’s the catch? Well, with any car this advanced, problems are going to be commonplace. Owners have reported issues such as cracked manifolds, blown mass air flow sensors, worn bushes and leaky intercoolers. Servicing costs are also painfully high. You can pick up cars for under £7000, but we’d invest another £7k to secure a cleaner example. If you want the limited-run Plus, expect to pay around £20,000.
Mercedes: C36 AMG
The C36 AMG W202 was the first AMG model to be sold through Mercedes’ official dealership network and was a car designed to take on the dominant E36 M3. The sonorous inline-six found in the C280 was retained, but the AMG crew bumped the displacement up to 3.6 litres. Aggressive camshafts, an increase in compression and a performance exhaust were also added to give the car 276bhp and 284lb ft of torque. Granted, the 0-60mph time of 6.7 seconds and top speed of 155mph was still some way off the M3, but it wasn’t a bad start for the iconic tuner.
Firmer suspension with a 25mm drop gave the car impressive handling, and the S600 vented disc brakes guaranteed fade free braking performance. Surprisingly, for such a historically significant vehicle, high-milage examples can be had for under £5000. And if you double your budget, you can get a mint-condition C36 for just under £10,000. What a steal!
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
We're often asked the question: 'how can I get a cheap performance car with iconic heritage'? The answer is not a straightforward one, so here are the cheapest ways to secure yourself a quick car from a legendary brand
BMW: E36 M3
The oft-overlooked BMW E36 M3, hit the bottom of its depreciation curve a few years ago, and although prices have risen by around 50 per cent, it’s still the a great entry point into M car ownership. You can find high-mileage examples for under £6000, but we would recommend spending a couple thousand more to find a clean example; you don’t want to end up buying a lemon like Alex…
The 3.2-litre S50B32 straight-six engine fitted to post-September 1995 M3 coupes is, as Alex describes it, “a heartless destroyer of speed limits”. With an impressive (for the time) 316bhp, the E36 is good for a 0-60mph time of around 5.4 seconds, and will go on to a top speed of 170mph (sans limiter). With clean examples hitting the £10,000+ point, now is the time to buy!
Alternatively, around £8500 also puts you in E46 M3 territory, so that’s a car well worth considering too.
Audi: RS6 C5
Somewhat surprisingly, the iconic Audi RS6 C5 is now one of the cheapest ways into RS ownership. With a 4.2-litre, 450bhp, twin-turbocharged V8, the RS6 absolutely decimated the competition when it was released back in 2002, with the Avant claiming the title of ‘world’s fastest estate car’.
With a 0-60mph time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 155mph (over 180mph delimited) the RS6 sported serious supercar-rivalling performance. So what’s the catch? Well, with any car this advanced, problems are going to be commonplace. Owners have reported issues such as cracked manifolds, blown mass air flow sensors, worn bushes and leaky intercoolers. Servicing costs are also painfully high. You can pick up cars for under £7000, but we’d invest another £7k to secure a cleaner example. If you want the limited-run Plus, expect to pay around £20,000.
Mercedes: C36 AMG
The C36 AMG W202 was the first AMG model to be sold through Mercedes’ official dealership network and was a car designed to take on the dominant E36 M3. The sonorous inline-six found in the C280 was retained, but the AMG crew bumped the displacement up to 3.6 litres. Aggressive camshafts, an increase in compression and a performance exhaust were also added to give the car 276bhp and 284lb ft of torque. Granted, the 0-60mph time of 6.7 seconds and top speed of 155mph was still some way off the M3, but it wasn’t a bad start for the iconic tuner.
Firmer suspension with a 25mm drop gave the car impressive handling, and the S600 vented disc brakes guaranteed fade free braking performance. Surprisingly, for such a historically significant vehicle, high-milage examples can be had for under £5000. And if you double your budget, you can get a mint-condition C36 for just under £10,000. What a steal!
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
Monday, April 11, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Monday, March 7, 2016
The greatest BMWs of the last 100 years - AutoBlog.com
E30 BMW 3 Series – David Gluckman
No, we can't and won't overlook the E30 M3. It's all kinds of greatness in a tidy package, with an engine that has to be worked, tons of tricks and tweaks that let it utterly dominate as a touring car, and a purpose for everything that went into the homologated road cars. It's what M once was and should strive to be once again.
But I have a special place for the more simple E30s, the ones that are still attainable. My 325i was a little rough around the edges, but it had held up pretty well and the engine was still going strong deep into triple-digit mileage. You feel like you're wearing an old pair of worn-in jeans when you're driving one – it's familiar, imperfect in ways you have known about for years, yours. They have acres of glass and you can actually see out of them in every direction (novel!). And then there's the way the car talks back; not so much through the wheel, because the steering isn't great, but you know what's going on around you at all times and why. Aside from the oddly placed wheel, the controls feel right and are placed deliberately. They're just plain friendly, and there's a reason the 3 Series, and this one in particular, was the benchmark for so long. Why did I sell mine again?
E39 BMW M5 – Mike Austin
This makes the case for the best sedan ever made. The E39 hits the sweet spot in so many ways. Take the glorious M5. In 1998, 400 horsepower was crazy, especially in a car that weighed just over 4,000 pounds. Unburdened by with the weight and equipment needed to cope with modern safety standards, the 5 Series was the benchmark of a balanced, responsive chassis. This was close to peak BMW - when the engines were still naturally aspirated and spun like sewing machines. Nothing in the class could touch the 5 Series in terms of driving involvement, and few cars since come close.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
No, we can't and won't overlook the E30 M3. It's all kinds of greatness in a tidy package, with an engine that has to be worked, tons of tricks and tweaks that let it utterly dominate as a touring car, and a purpose for everything that went into the homologated road cars. It's what M once was and should strive to be once again.
But I have a special place for the more simple E30s, the ones that are still attainable. My 325i was a little rough around the edges, but it had held up pretty well and the engine was still going strong deep into triple-digit mileage. You feel like you're wearing an old pair of worn-in jeans when you're driving one – it's familiar, imperfect in ways you have known about for years, yours. They have acres of glass and you can actually see out of them in every direction (novel!). And then there's the way the car talks back; not so much through the wheel, because the steering isn't great, but you know what's going on around you at all times and why. Aside from the oddly placed wheel, the controls feel right and are placed deliberately. They're just plain friendly, and there's a reason the 3 Series, and this one in particular, was the benchmark for so long. Why did I sell mine again?
E39 BMW M5 – Mike Austin
This makes the case for the best sedan ever made. The E39 hits the sweet spot in so many ways. Take the glorious M5. In 1998, 400 horsepower was crazy, especially in a car that weighed just over 4,000 pounds. Unburdened by with the weight and equipment needed to cope with modern safety standards, the 5 Series was the benchmark of a balanced, responsive chassis. This was close to peak BMW - when the engines were still naturally aspirated and spun like sewing machines. Nothing in the class could touch the 5 Series in terms of driving involvement, and few cars since come close.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
Monday, December 14, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
I Miss My E30
5 Cool German Cars Of The 1980s That You Can Buy Today
If you're looking for a cool, 80s German car that very few people will have, then take a look at these models, which we've arranged in order of price to suit most budgets . . . . .
Up to £2000 - BMW E30 3-series
The BMW E30 3-series is a cool, solid and seriously reliable German car of the 1980s. Just a few years ago, you could pick up a nice 325i coupe manual (170bhp) for well under £1500. I should know; the car pictured above was my own 325i (admittedly rough but always ready), which I paid £800 for. Nowadays, you’ll pay around three times as much for something with a six-cylinder engine, especially if you want it to come with a manual gearbox.
However, if big power isn’t at the top of your list of must-haves, then you can still buy a tidy E30 for under £2000. It’ll likely have four cylinders, will probably be the less appealing four-door model, will have a bunch of miles on it, and will be hard to find (especially one that hasn’t been messed with or welded to be a self-appointed ‘drift missile’).
If you’re handy with the spanners, then you’ll be pleased to know that working on E30s (like many older cars) is relatively simple. There’s a wealth of literature online about how to fix these cars up and the forums like E30 Zone are very helpful. There are also a variety of engines that can be slotted into the E30 engine bay (the six-cylinder M50/M52 engines from the E36 models are a common swap), which is worth bearing in mind if you prefer your cars with more modern power and retro looks.
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
If you're looking for a cool, 80s German car that very few people will have, then take a look at these models, which we've arranged in order of price to suit most budgets . . . . .
Up to £2000 - BMW E30 3-series
The BMW E30 3-series is a cool, solid and seriously reliable German car of the 1980s. Just a few years ago, you could pick up a nice 325i coupe manual (170bhp) for well under £1500. I should know; the car pictured above was my own 325i (admittedly rough but always ready), which I paid £800 for. Nowadays, you’ll pay around three times as much for something with a six-cylinder engine, especially if you want it to come with a manual gearbox.
However, if big power isn’t at the top of your list of must-haves, then you can still buy a tidy E30 for under £2000. It’ll likely have four cylinders, will probably be the less appealing four-door model, will have a bunch of miles on it, and will be hard to find (especially one that hasn’t been messed with or welded to be a self-appointed ‘drift missile’).
If you’re handy with the spanners, then you’ll be pleased to know that working on E30s (like many older cars) is relatively simple. There’s a wealth of literature online about how to fix these cars up and the forums like E30 Zone are very helpful. There are also a variety of engines that can be slotted into the E30 engine bay (the six-cylinder M50/M52 engines from the E36 models are a common swap), which is worth bearing in mind if you prefer your cars with more modern power and retro looks.
Complete list (CarThrottle.com)
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